In a macOS beta release that precedes Apple's October Mac event by just a few days, the high-tech giant leaked its upcoming MacBook Pro 2016 design. Is this the laptop we were waiting for, or is going to disappoint?
MacBook Pro 2016 Design Leaks
Finally, Apple is expected to refresh their MacBook Pro lineup. The high-tech giant will unveil the upcoming flagship laptop at the event scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27. Tech experts and Apple fans alike are all waiting for the highly anticipated event. After many years of minor changes, all agree that is time for a major refresh.
Now, that Mac OS 10.12.1 has been released, at least we know how the new MacBook Pro 2016 looks like. The release of the new software tells us about the new MacBooks because of several leaked images of the upcoming laptop. Intentional or not, the software update was shipped with images of the MacBook Pro 2016 before its official launch, according to online publication Geek.
Disappointing MacBook Pro 2016?
According to BGR, the latest leaked design of the upcoming 2016 MacBook Pro confirmed the most notable change coming to Apple's new flagship laptop generation. The MacBook Pro is getting a touch-based secondary display. The new gadget is called the OLED Magic Toolbar and it will offer a Touch ID fingerprint scanner and app shortcuts.
This may sounds like a cool upgrade. However, the change also raises an unexpected problem that MacBook Pro's buyers will have to deal with. Apple is also eliminating the escape key by removing the top row of keys. And the problem is that the escape key is one of the most commonly used on the keyboard.
A shortcut for the escape key might be found on the OLED Magic Toolbar in the same position. But for many MacBook Pro owners familiar with the old location of the escape key that might not be enough. They will have to go through the trouble of fixing the issue by themselves.
Users of the upcoming MacBook Pro 2016 will have to assign the escape shortcut to a different key. Fortunately, the new macOS Sierra allows doing that. The macOS 10.12.1 includes the option to remap the escape key, according to a report published by 9To5Mac. For this task users can go to System Preferences, select Keyboard and finally go to Modifier Keys. Next to the hardware key you want to assign the escape key, it is possible there to select this option from the drop-down box.
So, if the Magic Toolbar doesn't satisfy your needs, you'll have to take your time to assign a dedicated escape key again. Once the 2016 MacBook Pro is coming on the market, macOS 10.12.1 will likely be also rolled out.
Several other things are believed to be going away in the new MacBook Pros, such as the SD reader, MagSafe port and HDMI output. For many users, this could be an inconvenient and a disappointment. But at least Apple is keeping the headphone jack in the upcoming laptop and introduces several USB Type-C ports.
For some Apple enthusiasts another reason for disappointment in the new MacBook Pro 2016 could be the fact that the flagship laptop won't come with the rumored E Ink keyboards just yet. Previous reports suggested that Apple is planning to introduce the innovative gadget in its upcoming laptops.
Amazing or disappointing, we will all have the opportunity to make our mind about the 2016 version of the MacBook Pro tomorrow, when Apple is set to unveil its highly-anticipated laptop at the Oct. 27 Mac event.
